(KLIX) – Hagerman High School has received a $25,000 grant from America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education.

The grant will help the school enhance its science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs, which is the purpose of the program, sponsored by the Bayer Fund, for school countrywide.

“Grow Rural Education grants have helped schools purchase an array of STEM-related materials, such as augmented-reality sandboxes, weather-forecasting and robotics equipment,” according to a joint news release from America’s Farmers and the Bayer Fund.

“Hagerman High School will use the Grow Rural Education funds to bridge the gap of understanding and use of science behind farm production, food processing and development and marketing to help expose and prepare students for careers in science-based food production, processing and research.”

Qualifying schools or school districts can compete for a merit-based grant of either $10,000 or $25,000. Districts submit a grant application describing their STEM-focused project and an advisory council of farmer leaders from across the country review the finalist applications and select the winners.

America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education is a unique program because farmers play an important role throughout the process, from nominating schools to selecting the grant winners,” Bayer Fund President Al Mitchell said.

“With the incredible support of local farmers, countless grant-winning schools have shared with us how Grow Rural Education funds have made their STEM programs more engaging and, in several instances, positively impacted test scores.”

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